This weekend is the official start to our favorite season: Festival Season! Usually when you think of summer fun, scenes of The Taste and sounds of Lollapalooza come to mind, but it all starts with Mayfest.

The 14th annual gala rolls into Lakeview Friday and runs through Sunday. Five dollars will get you past the gate, where you can enjoy beer, food, live music -- and be sure not to miss the pet parade (believe it!) on Sunday.

Comic book fans had a lot to look forward to this weekend. With the highly anticipated premiere of X-Men Origins: Wolverine on Friday and Free Comic Book Day Saturday afternoon, it was a busy weekend to be a super hero.

Friday night was quite the sight at the Orland Park Marcus Theater. (See the gallery here.) The X-Men cosplayers* were at the entrance ready to greet movie goers. Kids were jumping with excitement to see their favorite mutant heroes live in person. Even Spider-man came out to support his comrades. Parents and fans eagerly whipped out their camera phones, or jumped in to be in a photo themselves. It just goes to show, you’re never too old to love the super heroes.

Saturday afternoon was even more impressive. Supergirl, X-Men, G.I. Joe, Spider-man, He-man, and FREE COMICS!?! Oh my! Only on Free Comic Book Day can you get such a treat.(See the gallery here).

Free Comic Book Day is the first Saturday in May, and comic book stores around the world participate. Each customer is allowed to take 3 free comics, take pictures with their favorite super hero, and they can get a sketch done by a real comic artist. We stopped by Graham Crackers Comics in the Loop and in Wheaton.

*cosplay - short for “costume roleplay”, is an art form that involves dressing up in costume and pretending to be a fictional character (usually from anime, comics, science fiction, or video games)